Slack adjuster



Oct. 18, 1927. 1,645,777

w. H. SAUVAGE SLACK ADJUSTER Fild May 17. 1924 weufoz .Patented Oct. 18, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. SAUVAGE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

THE GOULD COUPLER COMPANY, A COBEORATION OF MARYLAND.

, SLACK ADJUSTER.

Application filed May 17, 1924. Serial No. 714,172.

This invention relates to improvements in slack adjusters and more particularly to automatic slack adjusters particularly adapted for use in connection with the truck brake rigging of railway cars.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a simple and practical slack adjuster which may be inexpenslvely manufactured and installed.

A further object is to provide a slack adin connection therewith by the following analysis of the invention.

This invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of parts and in the unique relation of the members and in the relative proportioning and disposition thereof, all as more completely outlined herein.

To enable others skilled in the art so fully to comprehend the underlying features thereof that they may embody the same by the numerous modifications in structure and relation contemplated by this invention, drawings depicting a preferred form have been annexed as part of this disclosure, and in such drawings like characters of reference denote corresponding parts throughout all the views, in which,-

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of brake mechanism embodying my invention; and

Figure 2 is a partial plan view thereof.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, 5 indicates the truck bolster to one side of which is mounted the usual live lever 6 and supported from a rack 7 is a dead lever 8 the lower ends of which levers are connected by means of a two part telescoping tie rod, one part 10 being secured to the lower end of the live lever and fitting within a barrel member 11 secured to the lower end of the dead lever, The effective length of this tie rod is adapted to be progressively changed as wear'oeeure wheels.

The telescopic tie rod 10 and 11 may be of any desired type permitting the progressive change in effective length. I have, therefore, indicated a housing 13 which may contain any desired permanent take up and holding means, for example, the plurality of holding dogs, as illustrated, this feature however being immaterial to the operation of the device. Upon this barrel 11 are mounted two lugs 14 and 15 extending horizontally to one side thereof for housing a temporary take up and holding mechanism preferably formed by a dog 16 held in canted position by means of a spring 17. The dog co-acts with an adjusting rod 18 the opposite end of which has a lost motion slot 20 surrounding the pivot 21 carrying the brake beam strut 12. A second lug or guide 22 is mounted upon the member 10, thereby to support the adjusting rod 18. Interposed between this lug 22 and the housing or guide lug 15 is an adjustable nut 23 and between this nut and the lug 22 is a helical spring 24.

From the above it will be seen that on excess travel of the brake rigging due to wear of the parts the live lever 6 moves relatively towards the left first to take up the brake shoe clearance lost motion provided for by the slot 20, after which the adjusting rod 18 is moved with it to cause the adjusting nut 23 to compress the spring 24 against the lug 22. From the relative position of the dog 16 it will also be noted that the adjusting rod 18 is free to slide therethrough an amount corresponding to this excess travel. On release of the brakes the live lever and associated parts tend to return to normal position under the action of the usual return springs and the spring 24 expands between parts 22 and 23 to cause arelative separation of the two parts 10 and 11 of the telescopic push rod, thereby to permanently take up and hold the excess wear of the parts.

From the above, it will be seen that the present invention comprehends a compact and self-contained adjusting mechanism may be applied bodily "5e truck: rig= Ill tuting the same for the lower tie rod. The

parts are durable in construction and efiicient in operation and are well" adapted to accomplish among others all of the objects and advantages herein set forth.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the 1st of this invention that others can by app ying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting certain features that, irom the standpoint of the prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention, and therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalency of the following, claims.

What I claim is 1 In an automatic slack adjusterfor railway cars, in combination, a two parttelescopic push rod adapted to connect the lower ends ofthe live and dead levers, an adjusting rod having lost motion connection with the live lever, a housing secured to one of said parts of the push rod, a guide lug secured to the other part, and a compression spring interposed" therebetween adapted to be, compressed on excess travel, thereby to cause a change in the effective length of the telescopic push rod on release of the brakes.

2. In a slack adjuster, in combination, a two art telescopic push rod comprising a tubu ar member and a'member fitting thereimpermanent take up and holding means adapted to hold the parts in unchanged effective length, a temporary take up and holding means mounted on the tubular member, an adjusting rod with which said parts co-act, and a spring on the adjusting rod adapted. to be compressed on excess travel by said temporary take up means to cause a change in the effective length of the telescopic push rod on releaseof the brakes.

3. In a slack adjuster for railway cars, in combination, live and dead levers, a telescopic rod connecting the lower ends of said levers including a barrel member and an in terior member fitting therein, and holding means carried by the barrel and co-acting with the other member, thereby to permit a relative expansion and prevent a relative contraction, guide means mounted on the in terior member and temporary take up and holding means mounted on the barrel member, a spring therebetween, and an adjusting rod upon which said spring is mounted and passing through said guide and co-acting with the temporary take up mechanism,

whereby as the excess travel occurs said spring is compressed to cause a relative movement of the adjusting rod which in turn will cause relative expansion of the connecting rod when said parts-are released.

4. In an automatic slack adjuster for railways cars, in combination, live and dead levers, a telescopic rod connecting the lower ends of said levers including abarrel mem her and an interior member fitting therein, and holding means carried by the barrel and co-acting with the other member, thereby to permit a relative expansion and prevent a relative contraction, a guide rod mounted; on the interior member and te'mpoiar take up and holding means mounted on t e barrel member, a spring therebetween, and an adjusting rod upon which said spring is mounted and passing through said guide and coacting with the temporary take up mechanism, whereby as the excess travel occurs said spring is compressed to cause a relatlve movement of the adjusting rod which in turn will cause a relative expansion of the connecting rod when said partsare released, and an adjustable nut mounted upon said adjusting rod against which said spring coacts, said nut being movablewith the adjusting rod on excess travel to directly compress said spring whereby said spring reacts upon the uide lug to move said interior member of t e telescopic rod relative to the barrel member. 7 i a In witness whereof I have signed in name;

" WILLIAM SAUV GE; 

